Wave sprinkler providing a plurality of different velocities through a plurality of different nozzles



Oct. 24, 1967 E. J. HUNTER 3,348,776

WAVE SPRINKLER PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT VELOCITIES 'THROUGH A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT NOZZLES Filed June 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C /E2/647'E0 4264 INVENTOR EDW/N J. Hu/v TEE Ass/v7- Oct. 24, 1967 E. J. HUNTER WAVE SPRINKLER PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT VELOCITIES THROUGH A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT NOZZLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1965 INVENTOR f owwv L/. HUNTEQ United States Patent WAVE SPRINKLER PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT VELOCITIES THROUGH A PLU- RALITY OF DIFFERENT N OZZLES Edwin J. Hunter, Riverside, Calif., assignor to Moist- OMatic, Inc., Riverside, Calif., a corporation of Minnesota Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,300 5 Claims. (Cl. 239-242) The present invention relates to wave sprinklers, and is in the nature of an improvement on the device shown and described in my US. Patent No. 3,160,348, which issued Dec. 8, 1964. The wave sprinkler disclosed in that patent has a unique nozzle head, which is oscillated back and forth by a water-powered motor. The nozzle head has a number of individual jet nozzles that are arranged to throw a fiat, fan-like spray of water, and the back-and forth oscillations of this fan-like spray cause the sprinkler to cover a generally rectangular area. It is desirable to have this type of sprinkler cover as nearly a perfect rectangle as possible, because most yards are rectangular in shape, and the perfect rectangle will fit more lawns than will a circular or oval pattern.

While the wave sprinkler of my aforesaid patent produces a reasonably satisfactory pattern that approaches the desired rectangular pattern, it has been found that the ends of the rectangle are rounded off. This is due to the fact that the fan spreads out from what is virtually a point of origin, and since all of the individual jets have about the same velocity, they all reach out approximately the same distance from the sprinkler head when the fan is tilted down to its flattest angle. With all of the jets travelling the same distance from a common point, the resulting pattern is almost circular at opposite ends of the rectangle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved nozzle head in which the nozzles are so designed and constructed that they throw their respective streams of Water to varying distances, whereby the streams at the greatest angle from the vertical have the longest throw, and therefore reach out to cover the corners of the rectangle. In this way, the area covered by the wave sprinkler is almost perfectly rectangular.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wave sprinkler of the class described, in which the rectangularity of the pattern is virtually unaflFected by variations in water pressure. This is an important factor, since the area covered by the sprinkler is adjusted by regulating the water pressure.

In the first attempts to improve the rectangularity of the pattern covered by the sprinkler, the nozzles in the center portion of the fan were designed to introduce a certain amount of turbulence into the water fiow for the purpose of reducing the throw of those streams. At the same time, the nozzles toward the outer ends of the fan were provided with water straighteners to reduce turbulence. This helped somewhat in producing a square pattern, but the results were far from satisfactory, owing to the wide variation in results with variations in water pressure. At low pressure, the effect of the turbulence was nil, whereas at high pressure, the effect of the turbulence was extreme, and also had the undesirable effect of breaking the water up into small droplets, many of which would fall close to the sprinkler head regardless of the trajectory angle, and cause flooding around the head. These first results were therefore unsatisfactory, in that it was desired to reduce the velocity of the center streams without breaking the streams up into fine drops, but instead, to produce solid, coherent streams the same as the outer streams.

The solution to the problem was finally achieved by a new approach, wherein the nozzles were redesigned to make them of increasing efiiciency from the center of the fan out to both ends thereof. Thus, those nozzles af the outer ends of the fan (i.e., those at the greatest angle from the vertical) are made with the most efficient configuration possible, so that they will throw their streams as far as possible for any given operating pressure. The most efficient nozzle is one having a high length-to-diameter ratio, and which has a long tapering portion terminating in a straight cylindrical portion, whose length is approximately twice the diameter of the nozzle at this point. This type of nozzle has a minimum of turbulence. and the water leaving the nozzle will have a velocity equal to -90% of the theoretical velocity obtainable with the given pressure. The combination of high velocity and low turbulence gives the maximum reach to this stream of water.

At the same time, those nozzles in the center portion of the fan are made with a configuration that is considerably less efiicient, so that their streams have lower velocity and therefore travel a lesser distance. These lower-efiiciency nozzles are made with long straight sections, which develop suflicient friction on the moving stream of water to reduce its velocity without setting up undesirable turbulence. The efliciency of the nozzles is further reduced, without creating turbulence, by making the entrance to the nozzle orifice as a square corner rather than a tapering section. With the proper configuration, these lowefliciency nozzles at the center of the fan can be made to throw their streams so that they fall on a line connecting the points of impact of the outer end streams of the fan. Moreover, the relationship of the center streams to the outer streams can be maintained over a wide range of operating pressures from 5 to 40 p.s.i., which is the usual working range for this type of sprinkler.

With the design of the center and outer nozzles thus established, the configuration of the intervening nozzles was readily developed by making them of intermediate efficiency. This was accomplished by varying the length of the straight sections and the entrance angles of the tapered sections, to develop the proper velocity to make each stream reach out to a point on a line connecting the points of impact of the end streams of the fan. Thus, each stream is given the exact velocity required to cause the stream to travel the desired distance, so that the fan of water drops onto the ground in a straight line, and the sprinkler therefore has an almost perfectly rectangular pattern of coverage, which is unaffected by variations in water pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wave sprinkler in which all of the streams of water remain solid and coherent over a wide range of operating pressures, with no tendency on the part of the streams to break up into fine drops.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

' FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatical view, showing the type of plot which is irrigated by the wave sprinkler, and indicating a typical area covered by the sprinkler, which is shown at the center of the plot;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the wave sprinkler;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken at 4-4 in FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cover, taken at 55 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged top view of the nozzle plate;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of the same, taken along a Warped plane 77 in FIGURE 6, passing through the centers of the nozzle in one row; and

FIGURE 8 is a view showing the bottom of the nozzle plate.

The wave sprinkler of the present invention includes a generally rectangular, open-top housing 10 having a bottom 12 and upwardly diverging walls 14. Fitted on top of the housing is a cover 16, preferably having down.- wardly turned marginal flanges 18, and secured in place by screws 20. The housing 10 and cover 16 together define a side opening 22, having an annular channel 24 formed therein.

Extending laterally from the side opening 22 is a fluid motor 26 having a flange end 28 which is clamped in the channel 24. The motor 26 is shown and described in detail in Patent No. 3,107,056, dated Oct. 15, 1963, and

is operable to operate a nozzle head 30 through a pre- 7 determined angular distance. The motor 26 is characterized by a substantially uniform rate of rotation in one direction to the end of its travel, followed by a quick reversal and rotation at a uniform rate in the opposite direction.

In the present invention, the motor 26 has an oscillating drive shaft 32, which terminates in a short nozzle 34. The drive shaft 32 and nozzle 34 extend horizontally into the housing 10, and the nozzle 34v is pressed into an aperture in one end of the nozzle head 30, in a firm frictional fit therewith. The nozzle head 30 includes a rectangular, box-like housing 36, open at the top, and the said opening being closed by an arcuate nozzle plate 38. The nozzle plate 38 is upwardly concave, with a cylindrical curvature; the center of curvature being above the housing 36 and transverse to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 32. The nozzle plate 38 is seated Within a shallow cavity 40 formed in the sides of the housing 36 around the top edge thereof, and is preferably cemented in place.

Mounted within the nozzle head housing 36 is an inclined deflector plate and screen 42, which has the dual function of breaking up and diffusing the stream of water issuing from the nozzle 34, and also straining out any foreign material that night clog the small-diameter jet nozzles. The member 42 is preferably molded of plastic, and has upstanding studs, or bosses 44, on its top surface, the upper ones of which bear against the underside of the nozzle plate 38 to hold the member 42 firmly in place.

Projecting upwardly from the top surface of the nozzle plate 38 is a nozzle boss 46, which tapers upwardly as viewed from either end of the nozzle plate, with a maximum included angle of about 75 degrees between its sides at the mid-point. At the top end of the nozzle boss is a narrow, cylindrically concave top surface 48, which is parallel to the cylindrical top surface of the plate 38, and opening through the surface 48 are a plurality of jet nozzles 50. There is also an additional aperture 52 at the very center of the surface 48, which is for adjustment purposes, as will be described later.

The ends 54 of the nozzle boss are relatively slender from top to bottom, and converge upwardly with a slight included angle, as viewed from the end. Seen from the sides, as in FIGURE 7, the two ends 54 are nearly parallel to one another, with a slight degree of upward convergence. From either end 54, the outer surface of the nozzle boss 46 on each side thereof follows a generally helical configuration out to the point of maximum included angle, and then returns to the other end. The nozzle boss 46 is hollow, and there is a cavity 56 extending up into it from the bottom side of the plate 38. Projecting downwardly from the top of the cavity is a cylindrical boss 58, in which the aperture 52 is formed.

The jet nozzles 50 are formed within the walls of the nozzle boss 46 and are arranged in two slightly bowed lines lying parallel to the outer edges of the surface 48. The axes of the jet nozzles 50 are angularly spaced with respect to one another so that'their respective streams converge upwardly toward a line A, and then radiate outwardly therefrom. The axes of the nozzles are spaced apart along the line A so that they do not impinge against one another.

The cover 16 is provided with an exit slot 60, which is approximately tangent to the line A. The sides of the slot 60 are beveled on their under sides to clear the converging streams of water. The circumferential extremities of the slot 60 terminate substantially below the surface of the cover 16, whereas the central portion of the slot is approximately tangent to the normal top surface of the cover 16. Continuing from the circumferential ends of the slot 60 are upwardly diverging end Walls 62.

The sides of the slot 60 below the normal surface of the cover 16 form outwardly diverging side walls 64. The intersection of the side walls 64 with the normal surface of the cover 16 forms curved lines diverging toward the circumferential extremities of the slot 60, and at approximately the extremities of the slot 60 converge to merge with the end walls 62. The shape of the end walls 62 and eighteen jet nozzles 50, divided equally between the two rows lying along opposite sides of the concave surface 48..

In each row of nine nozzles, each nozzle is different in configuration from the others in that row, so that they are graduated uniformly from a highly efficient nozzle at one end of the range, to a relatively inefiicient nozzle at the other end thereof. The nine nozzles in the bottom row (as seen in FIG. 6) are the same as the nine in the top row, except that they are reversed end for end. In order to differentiate between them, the individual nozzle jets in each row are numbered 50a to 50!, inclusive, and each nozzle in one row has an identical counterpart in the other row, which has the same identical reference numeral.

For the purpose of the following description, assume that the nozzle head 30 is in the level position, exactly midway between the ends of its travel in both directions. The eighteen nozzles are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the vertical, with the nine nozzles in the top row (as seen in FIG. 6) throwing their respective streams to one side of the vertical, and the nine nozzles on the bottom row throwing their streams to the other side thereof. The number of nozzles, their angular spacing, and the exact dimensions of their internal configurations, as

described hereinafter, are not critical to the invention,

but are merely illustrative.

The two end nozzles 50a are preferably spaced 4 degrees apart from one another, with the nozzle 50a at the right-hand end of the nozzle boss (FIG. 6) aimed 2 degree-s below a plane normal to the drawing and passing quired to carry the shortest distance when the nozzlev head is tilted to either extremity of its travel. Thus, these streams must have the lowest velocity, and nozzles 50a are therefore designed to be the least efficient of the entire group.

The two nozzles 50a in the top and bottom rows are preferably spaced 32 degrees from their respective noz-' zles 50a, with a total included angle of 68 degrees between them. The two nozzles 50e throw their streams at the greatest angle from the vertical,,and these streams are at opposite ends of the fan-like pattern. The streams issuing from nozzles 50:: reach out to the corners of the rectangular pattern of coverage, and these, streams are required to carry the longest distance when the nozzle head is tilted to either extremity of its travel, hence they must have the highest velocity, and nozzles 502 are therefore designed to be the most efficient of the group.

Nozzles 50f, 50d, 50g, 50c, 50h, 50b and 50i are respectively spaced 4 degrees apart from one another in successive order, going from 502 to 50a. Thus, 50 is spaced 4 degrees from 502, 50d is spaced 4 degrees from 501, 50g is spaced 4 degrees from 50d, etc. Nozzles 50f, 50d, 50g, 500, 50h, 50b and 501' are arranged in descending order of nozzle efficiency, with nozzle 50f only slightly less efiicient than 502, and nozzle 50i only slightly more efficient than 50a.

Eflficiency of the nozzles is a matter of design, and the most efiicient nozzle is one having a long, tapered entry, and a sholt length of straight-sided, cylindrical exit aperture, the length of which is approximately twice its diameter. A considerably less eflicient nozzle design is one having a long straight exit aperture, which develops considerable friction on the moving water stream to reduce its velocity without setting up undesirable turbulence. The efficiency of the nozzle is further reduced, with a corresponding reduction in the velocity of the water stream, by using a square-cornered entry to the long straight section instead of a long tapering entry. The square-cornered entry also produces its velocity-slowing effect without producing turbulence in the water stream, and the stream of water therefore issues from the nozzle in a solid, coherent stream, with no appreciable tendency to break up into small drops.

As best shown in FIGURES 7, each of the nozzzles 50a, 50b and 50i is preferably made up of a short, cylindrical first section 66 of relatively large diameter, and a long, straight, cylindrical second section 68, of much smaller diameter. Each of the nozzles 50c, 50d, 50c, 50 50g, and 5011 is preferably made up of a short, cylindrical first section 70, a tapered second section 72, and a short, straight, cylindrical third section 74.

Byway of example, and without limiting the invention in any way, the length and diameter dimensions of the several sections of the several nozzles may be as follows: In all of the nozzles, the sections 66 and 70 are typically about '1ong. In both of nozzles 50a and 50b, section 66 is .125" in diameter, and section 68 is .042" in diameter. In nozzle50i, section 66 is .156 in diameter, and section 68 is .042" in diameter. None of the nozzles 50a, 50b, or 50i has a tapered section.

In each of the nozzles 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f, 50g and 50h, section 70 is .156" in diameter. Nozzle 50 it has a diameter of .04 for section 74, and the length of its tapered section 72 is .250". Nozzle 50c has a diameter of .042" for section 74, and the length of its tapered section 72 is .250". Nozzle 50g has a diameter of .04 for section "74, and the length of its tapered section 72 is .375. Nozzle 50d has a diameter of .042" for section 74, and the length of its tapered section 72 is .500", Nozzle 50 has a diameter of .046" for section 74, and the length of its tapered section 72 is .675". Nozzle 50c has a diameter of .052" for section 74, and the length of its tapered section 72 is .675".

'Thus, with the exception of nozzles 50a and 50b, which are identical to one another, and nozzles 50c and 50h, which are also identical to one another, the nozzles all vary dimensionally in diameters or lengths of corresponding sections, and in the nature of the entry to the exit sections 68 and 74. In the case of nozzles 50a, 50b, and 50i, the entry is a sharpcornered shoulder, whereas in nozzles 50c, 50d, 50s, 501, 50g, and 5011, the entry is a smooth tapered section 72 of varying length. Those pairs of nozzles which are identical in configuration are not deliberately so, but merely for reasons of production tooling. The difference in travel of the streams thrown by these pairs of identical nozzles is small, and since the streams of nozzles 50a, 50b, 50c and 5011 are all grouped near the center of the fan, any deviation of two adjacent streams from a theoretically perfect pattern is of relatively little importance, and its existence is blurred by the normal scatter of the stream and by the action of the wind. The important thing is that the streams of water at the center of the fan have the lowest velocity of the group and carry the shortest distance, and that the streams have progressively higher velocity and greater carrying distance out to the end streams, which have the highest velocity and carry the greatest distance of all streams in the group. Ideally, the streams should all fall to the ground in a straight line extending from one side of the rectangular pattern of coverage to the other. While a theoretically perfect pattern is probably impossible to achieve, a sprinkler of the design of the present invention does closely approximate the desired perfect rectangle, as shown in FIG. 1, with relatively uniform coverage over the entire rectangular area.

One very important aspect of the invention is that it produces streams of different velocity without introducing appreciable turbulence into the water. As a consequence, the streams all remain solid and coherent over a wide range of operating pressures, and have no tendency to break up into small drops at certain pressures. This is important because of the fact that the size of the rectangular area covered by the sprinkler is regulated by adjusting the water pressure from as low as 5 p.s.i. to as high as 40 psi. or more.

Another important feature of the invention is the arrangement of the nozzles 50 in two rows extending along opposite side edges of the surface 48 for the full length of the nozzle boss 46. The nozzles in one row are offset with respect to those in the other row, so that the streams of water issuing from one row of nozzles pass between the streams from the other row. This arrangement makes it possible for the eighteen nozzles of the dimensions specified herein to be contained Within a compact nozzle head, only 1%" long, which is important in the present wave sprinkler, as it is desirable to keep the slot 60 as short as possible and the length of the slot 60 is dependent, to a certain extent, on the length of the two lines of nozzles. Thus, the shorter the nozzle head 46, the shorter the slot 60 will be.

The disposition of the nozzles in two rows facing in opposite directions and offset so that the streams of one row pass between the streams of the other row, provides the maximum amount of room to accommodate the large-diameter first sections 70, which are necessary in the interests of nozzle efiiciency. If these same nozzles were lined up in two separate rows, as in my Patent No. 3,160,348, the overall length of the nozzle head would have to be almost twice What it is with the present nozzle arrangement, in order to make room for the line of large-diameter apertures 70, with adequate wall thickness between them. Thus, the arrangement shown and described herein provides an extremely compact sprinkler head having a large number of highly efiicient nozzles for the purpose of obtaining a rectangular pattern of coverage.

The function of the adjustment aperture 52 is to enable the operator to center the fan-like spray of the sprinkler when it is off-center toward one end or the other of the exit slot 60. To center the spray, a nail or screw driver is inserted down into the aperture 52 through the slot 60, and the nozzle head 30 is turned on the nozzle 34 in the direction to center the spray. This is preferably done while the nozzle head is being turned in the opposite direction by the fluid motor 26.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the broad scope of the invention as defined by the fol-- lowing claims.

7 I claim: 1. In a wave sprinkler of the class described, a nozzle comprising:

a housing mounted for oscillation about a horizontal axis and connected to a source of water under pressure;

a nozzle plate on said housing having a nozzle boss projecting upwardly therefrom;

said nozzle boss having a plurality of jet nozzles provided therein which are arranged in two rows directly opposite from one another and facing toward opposite sides of a plane normal to the axis of oscillation;

said two rows of nozzles being disposed at varying angles to said normal plane, whereby the streams of water issuing therefrom are arranged in a fan-like pattern; and

the nozzles in one of said rows being offset with. re-

spect to the nozzles in the other row, whereby the streams of water from one row of nozzles pass between the streams of the other row.

2. A wave sprinkler of the class described for covering a rectangular area, comprising:

a nozzle head mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis;

means for oscillating said nozzle head through a predetermined angular distance;

said nozzle head having a plurality of angularly spaced jet nozzles provided therein which are arranged so that their respective streams of water radiate outwardly in a relatively fiat, fan-like pattern, said pattern lying generally within a plane passing through the axis of rotation of said nozzle head;

said jet nozzles including first and second nozzles throwing outwardly inclined streams of water at opposite ends of said fan-like pattern, and a third nozzle throwing a vertical stream of water at the center of said fan-like pattern;

said first and second nozzles each having a highly efiicient configurationv consisting of a short, cylindrical exit portion having a length-to-diameter ratio of approximately 2 to 1, and a smoothly faired, gradual entry whereby their respective streams of water have the maximum velocity and carry the maximum distance;

said third nozzle having a configuration that is considerably less efficient than said first and second nozzles, consisting of a long cylindrical exit portion having a length-to-diameter ratio considerably greater than 2 to l, and an abrupt entry, said third nozzle producing a relatively non-turbulent, solid and coherent stream of water which travels at a slower velocity and carries a shorter distance than the streams of said first and second nozzles; and

said plurality of jet nozzles including other nozzles spaced between said first and third nozzles, and between said second and third nozzles, said other nozzles having configuration of intermediate efiiciencies, graduating in order of increasing efliciency from said third nozzle outwardly to said first and second nozzles, consisting of cylindrical exit portions having length-to-diameter ratios diminishing from the ratio of said third nozzle to the ratio of said first and second nozzles, and entries that become more smoothly faired and gradual from the entry of said third nozzle to the entries of said first and second nozzles, whereby the streams of water from said jet nozzles travel increasing distances from the center of said fan-like pattern out to its ends, thereby dropping said streams onto the ground in a substantially straight line when said nozzle head is tilted toward one side or the other.

3. A wave sprinkler of the class described for covering a rectangular area, comprising:

a nozzle head mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis;

means for oscillating said nozzle head through a pre determined angular distance;

said nozzle head having a plurality of angularly spaced jet nozzles provided therein which are arranged so that their respective streams of water radiate outwardly in a relatively fiat, fan-like pattern, said pattern lying generally within a plane passing through the axis of rotation of said nozzle head;

said jet nozzles having varying internal configurations ranging from maximum efiiciency to minimum efficiency, said maximum efficiency nozzles throwing streams of water at maximum velocity, and said minimum efficiency nozzles throwing streams of water at a lesser velocity; said maximum efliciency nozzles each having a short cylindrical exit section, and a long tapered entry section faired smoothly into said exit section;

said minimum efliciency, nozzles ecah having an internal configuration that creates considerable frictional drag on the stream of water passing therethrough without introducing appreciable turbulence in the stream;

said maximum efliciency nozzles being disposed to throw the streams of water at opposite ends of said fan-like pattern, which carry out to the greatest distance;

said minimum efiiciency nozzles being disposed to throw the streams of water in the center portion of said fan-like pattern, which carry to a lesser distance than said end streams; and

certain of said jet nozzles of intermediate efiiciencies disposed to throw streams of water between said center streams and said end streams, said last-named a rectangular area, comprising:

a nozzle head mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis; means for oscillating said nozzle head through a predetermined angularjdistance;

said nozzle head having a plurality of angularly spaced I jet nozzles provided therein which are arranged so that their respective streams of water radiate outwardly in a relatively fiat, fan-like pattern, said pattern lying generally within a plane passing through the axis of rotation of said nozzle head; said et nozzles having varying internal configurations ranging from maximum efliciency to minimum efliciency, said maximum efiiciency nozzles throwing streams of water at maximum velocity, and said minimum efiiciency nozzles throwing streams of water at a lesser velocity;

said minimum efficiency nozzles each having a cylindrical exit section of relatively long length-to-diameter ratio, and a sharp-cornered entry leading into said exit section, whereby the stream of water passing therethrough is slowed down considerably by relatively high friction drag;

said maximum efficiency nozzles each having an internal configuration that creates considerably less frictional drag on the moving stream of water than said minimum eificiency nozzle;

said maximum efliciency nozzles being disposed to throw the streams of water at opposite ends of said fan-like pattern, which carry out to the greatest distance;

said minimum efiiciency nozzles being disposed to throw the streams "of water inthe center portion of said fan-like pattern, which carry to a lesser distance than said end streams; and

certain of said jet nozzles of intermediate efliciencies disposed to throw streams of water between said center streams and said end streams, said last-named jet nozzles being graduated in order of increasing efficiency from the center out to the ends of said fan-like pattern, whereby the streams of water from all of said jet nozzles fall to the ground in a substantially straight line when said nozzle head is tilted toward one side or the other.

5. A wave sprinkler of the class described for covering a rectangular area, comprising:

a nozzle head mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis;

means for oscillating said nozzle head through a predetermined angular distance;

said nozzle head having a plurality of angularly spaced jet nozzles provided therein which are arranged so that their respective streams of water radiate outwardly in a relatively flat, fan-like pattern, said pattern lying generally within a plane passing through the axis of rotation of said nozzle head;

said jet nozzles having varying internal configurations ranging from maximum efiiciency to minimum efficiency, said maximum efiiciency nozzles throwing streams of water at maximum velocity, and said minimum efficiency nozzles throwing streams of water at a lesser velocity;

said maximum efiiciency nozzle having an internal configuration of relatively low frictional drag on the stream of water passing therethrough, including a cylindrical exit section, the length of which is approximately twice its diameter, and a long tapered entry section faired smoothly into said exit section;

said minimum efliciency nozzles each having a cylindrical exit section of relatively long length-to-diameter ratio, and a sharp-cornered entry leading into said exit section, whereby the stream of water passing therethrough is slowed down considerably by relatively high friction drag;

said maximum efiiciency nozzles each having an internal configuration that creates considerably less frictional drag on the moving stream of Water than said minimum efficiency nozzle;

said maximum efi'iciency nozzles being disposed to throw the streams of water at opposite ends of said fan-like pattern, which carry out to the greatest distance;

said minimum efi'lciency nozzles being disposed to throw the streams of water in the center portion of said fan-like pattern, which carry to a lesser distance than said end streams; and

certain of said jet nozzles of intermediate efiiciencies disposed to throw streams of water between said center streams and said end streams, said last-named jet nozzles being graduated in order of increasing efficiency from the center out to the ends of said fan-like pattern, whereby the streams of water from all of said jet nozzles fall to the ground in a substantially straight line when said nozzle head is tilted toward one side or the other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,769,665 11/1956 Spender 239-242 2,925,224 2/1960 Cunningham 239-601 X 2,968,126 1/1961 Richardson 239-601 X 3,088,854 5/1963 Spies. 3,160,348 12/1964 Hunter 239'-201 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

V. C. WILKS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WAVE SPRINKLER OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A NOZZLE COMPRISING: A HOUSING MOUNTED FOR OSCILLATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS AND CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF WATER UNDER PRESSURE; A NOZZLE PLATE ON SAID HOUSING HAVING A NOZZLE BOSS PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM; SAID NOZZLE BOSS HAVING A PLURALITY OF JET NOZZLES PROVIDED THEREIN WHICH ARE ARRANGED IN TWO ROWS DIRECTLY OPPOSITE FROM ONE ANOTHER AND FACING TOWARD OPPOSITE SIDES OF A PLANE NORMAL THE AXIS OF OSCILLATION; SAID TWO ROWS OF NOZZLES BEING DISPOSED AT VARYING ANGLES TO SAID NORMAL PLANE, WHEREBY THE STREAMS OF WATER ISSUING THEREFORM ARE ARRANGED IN A FAN-LIKE PATTERN; AND THE NOZZLES IN ONE OF SAID ROWS BEING OFFSET WITH RESPECT TO THE NOZZLES IN THE OTHER ROW, WHEREBY THE 